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High Country Conservation Advocates

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High Country Conservation Advocates ● Defenders of Wildlife ● The Wilderness Society ● Great Old Broads for Wilderness ● San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council ● Colorado Native Plant Society ● Rocky Mountain Wild ● San Juan Citizens Alliance ● Western Colorado Alliance ● Quiet Use Coalition ● Sheep Mountain Alliance ● Western Slope Conservation Center ● Western Environmental Law Center ● Ridgway-Ouray Community Council ● Black Canyon Audubon Society ● Conservation Colorado ● Rocky Smith July 29, 2019 Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Attn: Plan Revision Team 2250 Highway 50 Delta, CO 81416 Dear GMUG Planning Team, Please accept the following comments on the Working Draft of the revised forest plan on behalf of High Country Conservation Advocates, Defenders of Wildlife, Rocky Smith, The Wilderness Society, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, Colorado Native Plant Society, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Western Colorado Alliance, Quiet Use Coalition, Sheep Mountain Alliance, Western Slope Conservation Center, Western Environmental Law Center, Ridgway- Ouray Community Council, Black Canyon Audubon Society, and Conservation Colorado. We thank you for providing the public with the opportunity to comment on “what plan direction works and what needs improvement.”1 We appreciate the tremendous amount of effort and resources this process has required of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests’ planning team to date, including adapting to the 2012 Planning Rule (36 C.F.R. §§ 219). We are glad that the GMUG has remained committed to public outreach and has held meetings at every step, as well as offered many opportunities for comment along the way. Please include this letter in the administrative record. We appreciate all the hard work that the staff on the GMUG National Forest is putting into the plan revision process. We look forward to continuing to work with you as the process moves forward. Thank you for considering these comments. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss. Sincerely, Matt Reed Lauren McCain Public Lands Director Senior Federal Lands Policy Analyst High Country Conservation Advocates Defenders of Wildlife PO Box 1066 535 16th St., Suite 310 Crested Butte, CO 81224 Denver, CO 80202 303-505-9917 720-943-0453 [email protected] [email protected] 1 See https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/gmug/landmanagement/planning. Rocky Smith Forest Management Analyst 1030 N. Pearl St. #9 Denver, CO 80203 303-839-5900 [email protected] Jim Ramey Robyn Cascade Colorado State Director Leader, Northern San Juan Chapter The Wilderness Society Great Old Broads for Wilderness 1660 Wynkoop St., Suite 850 c/o PO Box 2924 Denver, CO 80202 Durango, CO 81302 303-650-5818 970-385-9577 [email protected] [email protected] Christine Canaly Mo Ewing Director Chairman, Conservation Committee San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council Colorado Native Plant Society PO Box 223 PO Box 200 Alamosa, CO 81101 Fort Collins, CO 80522 719-589-1518 [email protected] Tehri Parker Mark Pearson Executive Director Executive Director Rocky Mountain Wild San Juan Citizens Alliance 1536 Wynkoop St, Suite 900 PO Box 2461 Denver, CO 80202 Durango, CO 81302 720-446-8582 970-259-3583 Ext. 1 [email protected] [email protected] Steve Allerton Tom Sobal President Director Western Colorado Alliance Quiet Use Coalition 2481 Commerce Blvd. PO Box 1452 Grand Junction, CO 81505 Salida, CO 81201 970-256-760 719-539-4112 [email protected] [email protected] Karen Tuddenham Patrick Dooling Executive Director Executive Director Sheep Mountain Alliance Western Slope Conservation Center Comments on the GMUG’s Working Draft Plan | 2 PO Box 389 PO Box 1612 Telluride, CO 81435 Paonia, CO 81428 970-728-3729 970-527-5307 [email protected] [email protected] John Mellgren Jim Stephenson Wildlife Director Public Lands Chairman Western Environmental Law Center Ridgway-Ouray Community Council 120 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Ste. 340 PO Box 272 Eugene, OR 97401 Ridgway, CO 81432 541-359-0990 970-626-5594 [email protected] [email protected] Dr. Bruce Ackerman Jessica Goad President Deputy Director Black Canyon Audubon Society Conservation Colorado Montrose, CO 546 Main St. #404 727-858-5857 Grand Junction, CO 81501 [email protected] 303-405-6709 [email protected] Comments on the GMUG’s Working Draft Plan | 3 Table of Contents I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 II. Forestwide Direction .................................................................................................................... 5 A. Air Quality ................................................................................................................................ 5 B. Key Ecosystem Characteristics .................................................................................................. 6 1. Structure, Composition, and Function ................................................................................... 7 2. Connectivity .......................................................................................................................... 7 3. Snags and Coarse Wood ........................................................................................................ 8 4. Old Growth ......................................................................................................................... 10 C. Terrestrial Ecosystems and Vegetation ................................................................................... 10 D. Riparian Management Zones and Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems ................................ 12 E. Invasive Species ...................................................................................................................... 12 F. Fire and Fuels Management .................................................................................................... 13 G. Fire Management Emphasis Areas .......................................................................................... 14 H. Native Species Diversity .......................................................................................................... 15 1. Threatened or Endangered Species ..................................................................................... 19 2. Proposed or Candidate Species ........................................................................................... 31 3. Other At-Risk Species .......................................................................................................... 31 4. Big Game Species ................................................................................................................ 31 5. Other Species Address in the WDP ...................................................................................... 32 I. Soil Resources ......................................................................................................................... 35 J. Watersheds and Water Resources .......................................................................................... 35 1. Priority Watersheds ............................................................................................................ 35 2. Roads and Watershed Health .............................................................................................. 38 K. Designated Trails .................................................................................................................... 40 L. Energy and Mineral Resources ................................................................................................ 40 M. Transportation System ........................................................................................................ 41 N. Range ..................................................................................................................................... 43 O. Recreation .............................................................................................................................. 44 1. Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) ............................................................................. 44 2. Over-snow Vehicle (OSV) Use .............................................................................................. 45 P. Timber and Other Forest Products .......................................................................................... 47 Q. Eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers ................................................................................................ 52 III. Management Area Direction ...................................................................................................... 53 A. Designated Wilderness (MA 1.1) ............................................................................................. 53 B. Recommended Wilderness (MA 1.2) ....................................................................................... 53 C. Special Interest Areas (MA 2.1) ............................................................................................... 54 D. Research Natural Areas (MA 2.2) ............................................................................................ 55 E. Colorado Roadless Areas (MA 3.1) .........................................................................................
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